Brevard County, Fla., EDC PR (March 4, 2013) – The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast (EDC) is pleased to announce that Northrop Grumman intends to expand its presence on the Space Coast and add more than 900 jobs, including hundreds of engineering positions.

As part of consolidation within its Aerospace Systems sector, Northrop Grumman today announced plans to open a Manned Aircraft Design Center of Excellence in Melbourne, which will include aircraft design work currently being performed at the company’s Bethpage, N.Y., facility. The company will also establish an Aircraft Integration Center of Excellence in St. Augustine.

“Consolidating these centers of excellence will improve our strategic alignment with our customers’ need for increasingly innovative and affordable products, services and solutions,” said Wes Bush, chairman, chief executive officer and president of Northrop Grumman. “We continuously examine our operational capacity to determine how we can leverage it in the most efficient and cost-competitive manner. Given the current budget environment, it is imperative that we act to enhance future performance, innovation and affordability for our customers.”

Florida Governor Rick Scott said the company’s decision to grow in Florida continues to build on the state’s strong record of job creation over the last two years. “Florida is already ranked No. 2 in the nation for businesses to grow and succeed, and we won’t stop until we are No. 1. More companies continue to move here from other states like New York and California because Florida is committed to cutting taxes and eliminating regulations to help job creators succeed at creating more jobs,” Scott said.

The EDC got involved in the project last month when the state issued a Request for Proposals.

“The EDC and our coalition partners responded quickly to the request, ensuring that the Space Coast was among the areas considered by the company,” said Lynda Weatherman, president and CEO of the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast. “Northrop Grumman’s ultimate decision to create one of its Centers of Excellence here shows that the EDC and its partners are successfully leading the Space Coast beyond its shuttle past while building on the expertise, technological savvy and business-friendly climate we and all of the county’s citizens have worked so hard to foster.”

Weatherman added, “We are thrilled that Northrop Grumman, for decades an innovative and responsive stalwart of the Space Coast’s aerospace and defense economy, has expressed a major vote of confidence in our county by expanding its presence here in such a substantial and lasting way. And we are excited about how this win for our community represents yet another example of how the EDC is helping lead the push for new, 21st century aviation operations on the Space Coast.”

The traits that make Florida such a desirable destination for business once again helped the state stand out from the competition.

“Northrop Grumman’s continued investment in the state is a testament to Florida’s competitiveness and supportive business climate,” said Florida Secretary of Commerce Gray Swoope, the CEO of Enterprise Florida. “The importance of having strong strategic partners cannot be overstated: Governor Scott, Enterprise Florida and the professional economic development teams in both communities and the region made it possible to move quickly and to put together a competitive case for Northrop Grumman to grow its presence in Florida.”

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About the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast
The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast is dedicated to attracting new business and investment and expanding existing industry throughout the Space Coast, influencing change on government laws and regulations affecting economic development, promoting the Space Coast to encourage new investment, supporting efforts of Space Coast military installations, and relaying new programs and procedures to assist manufacturing and high tech companies. The EDC is a private, not-for-profit coalition whose stakeholders are business leaders committed to the economic growth and stability of Florida’s Space Coast. Visit www.SpaceCoastEDC.org

About Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman is a leading global security company providing innovative systems, products and solutions in unmanned systems, cybersecurity, C4ISR, and logistics and modernization to government and commercial customers worldwide. Please visit www.northropgrumman.com for more information.